Rebounding tethered ball

ABSTRACT

A toy comprises a circular plate having one end of a resilient member releasably connected thereto. The other end of the resilient member is releasably connected to a fluid-filled, collapsible element. The releasable connection between the resilient member and the fluid-filled collapsible element allows the fluid-filled, collapsible element to be filled whenever there is leakage of fluid from the collapsible element.

I United States Patent [151 3,643,948

Coates 1 Feb. 22, 1972 REBOUNDING TETHERED BALL Primary Examiner-AntonioF. Guida Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting [72] Inventor. LeroyCoates, Covington, Ky. Atmmey j warren Kinney, Jr. [73] Assignee: WillyWhoper, lnc., Covington, Ky. e r .-.A [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1969 57ABSTRACT PP 370,416 A toy comprises a circular plate having one end of aresilient T member releasably connected thereto. The other end of the[52] 46/87 272/67 resilient member is releasably connected to afluid-filled, collllt. lapsible element The releasable connectionbetween the Field of Search resilient member and the fluid-filledcollapsible element al- 2 73 /9 8 lows the fluid-filled, collapsibleelement to be filled whenever 56] References Cited there leakage thecollapsible element.

UNITED STATES PATENTS W V a. a 4Clalms,6DrawlngF res 600,967 3/1898 Mead..46/87 lg 3,229,979 1/1966 Smoak ..273/97 R PATENTEDFEB 2 2 I972 FIG.3

FIG.2

FIG.4

INVENTOR LEROY COATES FIG.6

ATTORNEY REBOUNDING TETHERED BALL This invention relates to a toy and amethod of making same.

Various types of toys have been previously suggested in which a ballelement is connected 'to a support element or paddle by a resilientconnector and bounced on the support element. In these previouslysuggested toys, breaking of the resilient connector between the supportelement and the bouncing element rendered the toy useless.

The present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing objectionby providing a toy in which the breaking of the resilient connector doesnot render the toy useless, as it is only necessary to replace theresilient connector since it is releasably connected to both the supportelement and the bouncing element and the toy of this invention has arelatively long life in comparison with previously available toys of thesame type.

The toy of the present invention would be particularly useful to anadvertiser since the toy is inexpensive and will not become useless in ashort period of time. By providing a bouncing element of substantialsize, effective advertising material, for example, may be printed onboth the bouncing element and the support element.

The present invention contemplates using a fluid-filled, collapsibleelement as the bouncing element. Therefore, the device of the presentinvention may be employed as an exerciser by increasing the weight ofthe fluid-filled, collapsible element. So constructed, the device may beemployed in the practice of physical therapy, if desired.

An object of this invention is -to provide a device of the characterstated, having replaceable elements to prolong its useful life.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of forming a toyof the character stated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toy that also may beused as an exerciser, or as an advertising piece.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andas disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the toy of the present invention.

FIG. 2 through 6 are perspective views of portions of the toy of thepresent invention and illustrating the various steps employed inassembling the same.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown the toyof the present invention including a circular rebounding disc or plate10 having a resilient member 12, which may be a rubber thong or stand,for example, releasably attached thereto. A collapsible element 14 ishere shown as an inexpensive conventional rubber balloon or the like,which, if desired, may be formed of any other suitable, flexiblematerial capable of retaining air or other inflating fluid. Thecollapsible element or balloon is releasably connected to the remainingend of the resilient member 12, as will be explained. The disc or plate10 may be inexpensively formed of cardboard or paperboard, as well asany other appropriate material.

In assembling the toy of the present invention, the end 13 of theresilient member 12 is passed through a central opening 16 (see FIG. 2)in the central portion of the circular disc 10. The circular disc 10also has openings 18 and 20 at opposite sides of the central opening 16.The three openings 16, 18 and 20 preferably, though not necessarily, aredisposed in a straight line.

After the resilient member 12 is passed through the opening 16 fromfront face 22 of the disc 10 to rear face 24 thereof as shown in FIG. 2,the resilient member '12 is then passed through the opening 18 as shownin FIG. 3 and returned to the front face 22 of the disc; then, theresilient member end 13 is passed through the opening 20 in the discfrom the front face 22 to the rear face 24 in the manner shown in FIG.4.

The end 13 of the resilient member 12 may then be tied to its loopportion between the openings 16 and 18 on the rear face 24 of the discin the manner shown at 17 in FIG. 5. After this connection has beenformed, a knot 26 may be formed in the end 13 of the resilient member 12to insure that there is no possibility of the tied connection at theloop becoming free unless so desired. When it is desired to release thetied connection at 17, the knot 26 must be first removed.

As an alternative procedure which has been found quite satisfactory,knot 17 may be omitted. That is, the thong end 13 of FIG. 4 may simplybe knotted at the rear face of disc 10, to normally preclude withdrawalof end 13 through the opening 20. This simplified procedure effects areliable attachment which may readily be released when necessary, forthe replacement of worn or broken parts.

The collapsible element 14 has its filler neck 28 twisted in the mannershown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to prevent any leakage of fluid from thecollapsible element 14 through the neck thereof. This twisting of theneck 28 is effected after the collapsible element 14 has been filledwith a fluid such as air, for example.

After the resilient member 12 has had the knot 26 formed therein, theother end of the resilient member 12 is to be knotted as at 32 andplaced adjacent the neck 28 as shown in FIG. 5. A resilient member 30,which may be a rubberband, for example, is then wound about the end ofthe resilient member 12 and theneck 28 of the collapsible element 14, inthe manner shown in FIG. 6. The knot 32 is formed in the end of theresilient member 12 to prevent any inadvertent displacement of theresilient member 12 from the neck 28 of the collapsible element 14.

The resilient member or band 30 may be easily removed to release theresilient member 12, from the collapsible element 14. Thus, if thecollapsible element 14 should be a rubber balloon and loses air over aperiod of time, it may be easily refilled by removing the member 30 anduntwisting the neck 28 without rupturing or damaging the neck. After thecollapsible element 14 is refilled, the neck 28, may be again twisted,and the resilient member 30 again wound about the neck 28 and theresilient member 12, to restore the connection.

Furthermore, if the collapsible element 14 should burst or otherwisefail to retain the fluid therein, another collapsible element 14 may beeasily substituted and connected to the resilient member 12. Likewise,if the resilient member or thong 12 should break, it may be easilyreplaced. Thus, the toy of the present invention retains its usefulnessover a long period of time by reason of the easy replacement of thebreakable or wearable items.

The present device preferably has at least one pair of diametricallydisposed openings 34 and 36 (see FIG. 1) formed in the circulardisc orplate 10. Either of the openings 34 or 36 may be grasped by the user inbouncing the collapsible element 14 relative to the circular disc 10.

Furthermore, if the collapsible element 14 should be filled with arelatively heavy fluid so that the toy may function as an exerciser, itmay require two persons to hold the circular disc 10, with one persongrasping one of the openings 34 or 36 another person grasping theremaining opening of the disc. Thus, the toy of the present inventioncould be employed as a group exerciser, if desired, in the practiceofphysical therapy.

When used as an advertising medium, the circular disc 10 may haveadvertising applied to the front face 22, the rear face 24, or to bothfaces of the disc, as may be desired. Likewise, the collapsible element14 could have advertising matter applied thereon. Thus, an advertisercould use the toy for advertising purposes, and obtain maximumeffectiveness due to the ease of replacement of any of the breakable orwearable elements.

An advantage of this invention is that any element of the toy can beeasily replaced. Another advantage is that the collapsible element canbe easily filled with an inflating fluid whenever necessary, withoutsubjecting the neck 28 thereof to destructive stress or strain.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy comprising, a hand held rebounding plate and a fluid-filledelement with means connecting the plate and element together,

the element having a neck thereon through which it may be filled with afluid,

the plate having a forward wall and a rearward wall and three spacedapart substantially aligned openings in the approximate center thereof,the forward wall being the wall against which the element contactsduring use of the toy,

the means connecting the plate and element together comprising aresilient strand, the strand being removably connected at each end tothe element and to the plate,

the strand being removably connected to the plate by one end of thestrand extending through the center opening from the forward wall to therearward wall and then through one of the aligned openings from therearward wall to the forward wall defining a loop between the centeropening and the one aligned opening, the strand then extending over thecenter opening and to the other aligned opening and defining a loop onthe forward wall longer than the loop on the rearward wall, the strandthen extending through the other aligned opening from the forward wallto the rearward wall,

the free end of the strand having means associated therewith to preventthe end from passing through the other aligned opening from the rearwardwall to the forward wall,

the other end of the strand being connected to the element after theelement is filled with fluid and the neck twisted to retain the fluid bythe free end having a knot therein and a reverse bend inwardly of theknot the reverse bend lying parallel to and against the twisted neck,

and a resilient endless band disposed about the twisted neck and thereverse bend of the strand in tight encircling relationship to removablysecure the strand to the element and to hold the twist in the neck andfurther aid in preventing leakage of the fluid.

2. The toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means associated with thefree end is a knot formed in the free end which will prevent the freeend from passing through the other aligned opening.

3. The toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means associated with thefree end is the tying of the free end to the loop between the centeropening and the one aligned opening on the rearward wall.

4. The toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rebounding plate has atleast one opening adjacent the outer edge thereof which opening servesas a handgrip means.

1. A toy comprising, a hand held rebounding plate and a fluidfilledelement with means connecting the plate and element together, theelement having a neck thereon through which it may be filled with afluid, the plate having a forward wall and a rearward wall and threespaced apart substantially aligned openings in the approximate centerthereof, the forward wall being the wall against which the elementcontacts during use of the toy, the means connecting the plate andelement together comprising a resilient strand, the strand beingremovably connected at each end to the element and to the plate, thestrand being removably connected to the plate by one end of the strandextending through the center opening from the forward wall to therearward wall and then through one of the aligned openings from therearward wall to the forward wall defining a loop between the centeropening and the one aligned opening, the strand then extending over thecenter opening and to the other aligned opening and defining a loop onthe forward wall longer than the loop on the rearward wall, the strandthen extending through the other aligned opening from the forward wallto the rearward wall, the free end of the strand having means associatedtherewith to prevent the end from passing through the other alignedopening from the rearward wall to the forward wall, the other end of thestrand being connected to the element after the element is filled withfluid and the neck twisted to retain the fluid by the free end having aknot therein and a reverse bend inwardly of the knot the reverse bendlying parallel to and against the twisted neck, and a resilient endlessband disposed about the twisted neck and the reverse bend of the strandin tight encircling relationship to removably secure the strand to theelement and to hold the twist in the neck and further aid in preventingleakage of the fluid.
 2. The toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein themeans associated with the free end is a knot formed in the free endwhich will prevent the free end from passing through the other alignedopening.
 3. The toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means associatedwith the free end is the tying of the free end to the loop between thecenter opening and the one aligned opening on the rearward wall.
 4. Thetoy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rebounding plate has at leastone opening adjacent the outer edge thereof which opening serves as ahandgrip means.